August 1, 2026 · Economy, Trade & Fiscal Policy

Well supported

Trump Ordered 11 Polar Icebreakers After a Round of Golf With Finland's President — Twice What the Coast Guard Said It Needed

The New York Times reported on Aug. 1 that President Trump's decision to buy 11 polar icebreakers followed a phone call to Finnish President Alexander Stubb and a subsequent golf outing, and that the resulting contracts...

February 13, 2026 · Personnel, Competence & Administrative Failure

Developing

Noem Adviser Corey Lewandowski Reportedly Fired a Coast Guard Pilot Mid-Flight Over a Missing Blanket

News outlets reported in mid-February 2026 that Corey Lewandowski, an adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, told a Coast Guard pilot he was fired mid-flight after the pilot declined to turn the aircraft...

October 18, 2025 · Corruption, Ethics & Self-Dealing

Well supported

Coast Guard Spends $172 Million on Private Jets for Noem's Use

In October 2025, reports revealed the Coast Guard had purchased two Gulfstream G700 jets for a combined cost of roughly $172 million, with a later Washington Post report citing a total contract value closer to $200...